Automatic door-operating device.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SYLVANUS B. ROY, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS; SERENA L. ROY, ADMINISTRA- TBIX OF SAID SYLV ANUS B. BOY, DECEASED, AEiSIGNOR '10 13. S. BOY & SON COMPANY, A. OORIORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

AUTOMATIC noozbornnn'rmo DEVICE.

Mow-

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, SYLvANos B. ROY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Worcester, in the county of-Worcester and State of lllnssnchusetts, have invented a new and useful Automatic l )oor-Opero.ting Device, of which tlmofollo'vving is a specification,

This invention relates to a door operating means suitable for ereges and other buildings generally, am? to controlling dev ces and combinations by which the opening; and closing of the door is rendered certain, definite,-se.fe and automatic, so thnt'it can be accomplished by the mere passage of a vehicle over a. treedle or the operation of the treadle or equivalent device in any other manner, end yet can be controlled by hand by means. of push-buttons or equiva- 'in addition to,these, are to provide adequote meensbyivhieh heavy or li ht doors L can", be operated;

treadle. will stert "them to close "and vice i verse, the operation of,the closing-button Breferably by ydreiilic poivtyend centre ed in such a, way that the "opening and closing controlling mechanism respectively, as for example, electrical connections, cannot. be operated by ush buttonsror ti'ettdle.,"when the doo;e or. oth

"509 iit lw lli l'fi i epp ieqliito d u e henever will cause them tdu'stnitto close .b1it the operation of the opening' -pusbbutton can have no eflectnnd viceyersag-to pig'ovidfi means whereby'wh'en the 'doors' ere ,.opened,.

the opening solenoid, or 'other cohtrfolling mechenisnncannot beeo rated in any .way

or when closed the closi'n' eolenoid'cannot to secure one be opereted; and to provi e-meens whereby the manual inenigulation of any feature .of the switch boar put the mechanism out .of commissioner startthe o eration of the doors except m the. jrescri ed manner. I

T e invention elso involves a syst em of terminal switches-which are 0 erated and controlled ,by the doors in 3110 a; we

' the ab'ovetmentione resuit: namely, permit .of the --opereti'onof operating solenoids or. other elements which are exposed cunilot Specification of Letters Patent.

both 0 thereby Patented Nov. '7. 13?"?! {1 I Application filed July 19, 1915. Serial No. 40,681

the opening or closing ozl a when a pair of doors are fully c osed or open, as the case may be.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter. Reference is to be had to the accompanyingdruwings in which,

Figure l is a plan of n portion of. the plan constructed in accordance with this invention showing the treudle mechanism starting;

and illustrating the well of the building and the double doors in horizontal section; Fig. 2 is an elevation of the top of the doors showing the mechanism on the inside thereof for operating them; Fig. 3 is a plan on enlarged scale of a portion ofthe mechanism shown in Fig 1 illustrating the support for one corner of the treedle; Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line -t-4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a sectional view on enlarged scale on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1;.Fig. 6 is an inside elevation of the hydraulic door operating mechanism beings part of- Fig.1 on

enlarged scale; Fig. 7 is e similnr vievi of" another portion of the some mechanism also showing the door swio'zh; Fig. 8 is an clove; tion of the opening; :loor switch and connected parts; and Fig. 9 ise front velevetion of the switch board showing the elem trical connections and the hydraulic mechanism controlled thezeby and also showin diagrammatically the'electricel Wiring 0 the whole plenty;

Refer-i'ing rnoiie perticularly {to Figs. 2;

ing applied to a double d'oor system eonsisting of two'doors 15 and 16.; Itis to he understood, however ,that many features of this invention can b door in a similar manner. These'doors as usual are designed to move together to close 17. This track hanger is'not illustrated in detail, as it can conveniently be made in on ordinary form in which it has longittidinal slots through the bottom, thjgpogh which t .flib; :dp m.

omments i Revewheels e applied to. a single w o brackets. is attached 6 and 7, theinventlon is illustrated as beor rollers thefe'dhl'not sham, but" loeeted For the inside tlie, tire-filter hanger and supporte dfjfioo. rpooe of orienting two hydrau lie eyligdetfl.;,.l,,.,gf; i-EQQ shown arranged horizontally above the doors adjacent to the track han er. These are supplied with water throng a system of piping as follows: A supply pipe 21 (Fig. 9) controlled water to a. pilot valve casing 23 which rs of well-known type and need not be described in full herein, but it has pistons there n on rods 24 and 25 which control b their position the pnssageof water from t e supply pipe 21 to two pipes 26 and 27 which will be called here the opening p pe and closing pipe, respectively. On Fig. 9 is shown an exhaust pipe 28 which s connected through the valve with the pipes 26 and '27 to carry ofl the waste and allow the water to flow out of these pipes and out of the cylinders whennecessary. These connections are not shown in detail, as they do not constitute part of this invention.

The pilot valve is shown as controlled and operated electrically, by an opening solenoid 6 and a closing solenoid 7, having plungers 8 and 9, respectively. The two plungers 8 and 9 are pivotally connected with two pivoted levers 10 operating independently of each other and these levers are respectively connected by links 11 with the piston rods 24. and 25, respectively. The e citation of the opening or closing solenoid therefore will operate one of the piston rods 24: or 25 and admit water to one of the pipes :26 or 27 and open the other to the exhaust.

In the drawings. the doors are shown as closed and just ready to open, the arrows indicating the motion which the parts will have as the doors start to open. Now the pipe 26 is connected with the left-hand end of the cylinder '20 and the i e 27 with the right-hand end thereof, w is the pipe 26 is connected with the right-hand end of the cylinder 19 and the pipe 27 with the left hand end thereof. In each of these cylinders there is a piston as 29 and 30. They have piston rods 31 and 32, respectively.

Piston rod 31 is connected by means of a bracket 33 with the left-hand door 15, while the piston rod 32 is connected by a bracket 34 with the right-hand door 16. This connection is positive but adjustable if desired.

It can be seen that with the parts in the position shown in the drawings, the connection of the pipe 26 with the supp! ipe 21 will cause water to flow to the left-hand side of the piston 30 and the right-hand side of the )iston 29, and consequently will move the le t-hand door 15 to the left and the right-hand door 16 to the right. In other words, it will open the doors. At the same time, of course, the pipe 27 is connected b the pilot valve with the exhaust so as to a low the water already in the two cylinders on the opposite sides of the pistons to run out without resistance.

It is for controllint the operation of the by main valve 22, supplies parts just described that the electrical con nections are provided, and as has been stated, two push-buttons 37 "and 38- pro shown, the former having only the function of starting the doors to open and the latter only the function of starting the doors to close, but ordinarily the operation of the doors is controlled by man 40 which has the function of starting the doors either to close or open according to their position when it is depressed. This treadle is shown as supported on springs 41 located in casings 42 within a pit in the ground, and as provided with a lever 43 pivoted on a standard 44 and adapted when the treadle is depressed to allow a roll 45 to rise and thus depress the other end of the lever 46 on which this roll is located, a spring 47 preferably being used to operate the lever 46. The depression of the inner end of this lever causes it to come into electrical contact with a metallic member 48. The two members 46 and-l8 are connected with two wires49 and 50, respectively, and obviously bring thcsewires into contact. These parts are represented diagrammatically in El 9, which shows a switch board 51 having him!- ing posts'l, 2, 3; land 5, and this diagram will now be described. The main switch 52 is shown as having terminals as usual connected directly with fuses 53. One'of these fuses is directly connected with the binding post 3, which in turn is connected by the wire withthe terminal 48. It is also connected by a wire 54 with one con tact of each of the two push-buttons 37 and 38 so that these push-buttons are in multiple with each other, but each in series with the plus fuse 53. The other contact forming part of the push-button 37 is connected by a wire 55 with a l i'nding post 5. It isalso connected with a terminal 56, the purpose of which will be described later. he similar manner the other terminal of the ushbutton 38 is connected by wires 57 with inding post 1 and with a terminal 58 similar to the terminal 56.

The binding posts 5 and l are connected respectively with two switches 60 and 61 which we designate the door switches. The wire 49 has two branches each passing to the pole of one of .the witches 60 and 61 which is connected wit the binding posts 5 and 1 respectively.

Each one of the switches 60 and 61, as indicated in Figs. 7 and 8, comprises a terminal 62 which is stationary, and a reciprocating plunger 63 or 63 operating a lever having a terminal 630 or 631 thereon normally moved against theterminal 62 by a spring 64. In connection with the switch 6Q there is a lever 65 which is carried by a slidlng plate .66 normallymbved pieldingly by a sprin 67 awayfrom its p anger 63 One end 0 this lever is in a position to be engaged by a bracket 68 on the left-hand door when the latter opens to its limiting 'the lever ready'to be operated. -This lever is connected by a wire or cord 71-with a lever 72 at the opposite end of thedoors, which lever is pivoted on a bracket 73. Now when the right-hand door 16 opens to its limiting position, its bracket 34 will engage this lever 72 and push it to the right, thus pulling on the cord or wire 71 and swinging the lever 69 accordingly. The lower en of this lever then acts on the upper end of the lever and pushes it against a stop- 74. As the lower end of the lever 65 is still held against the bracket 68, this lever will then be positively turned about the latter .as-a fulcrum and the plunger 63 forced i'nwardly and contact broken etween the lever 630 and the metallic contact 62. It will be obvious that if the door 16 opens first, the plunger 63 will not be operated until the left-hand door 15 also. opens to its limit, so

that this contact cannot be broke. automati;

call'y until both doors are wide open. Now these contacts 62 and 630 are connected in series with the opening solenoid 6 so that when both doors are wide open this con tact 62-4530 is open and the solenoid 6 ceases to be operative. i There is a simllar arrangement for stopping the closing solenoid 7. This 15 shown in Fig. 7 and in that case the plunger 63,

which is made the same as the plunger 63 previously described, is provided at its'end with a lever 77 carried. by a sliding plate 78 and pulled away from the plunger 63 normall by a spring 79. Twolevers 80 and 81 are pivoted on stationary pivots on the plate 82 which supports these parts and they are connected by wires or cables 83 and 84, respeot'ively, with a lever 85 and a lever 86. The lever 85 is connected by wire, chain or cable 87 with a lever 88. The lever 88 is m position to be engaged by the bracket 34 when the door 16 comes to its fully closed position, and the lever 86 is in position to be engaged and operated by the l'iracket 33 when the door 15 comes to its fully closed position. In each case the lever 80 or 81,

the other, will force that plunger in and break the connection at this point (62-631).

When the contacts 62-630 of the door switch 60 are together it connects two conductors 90 between the' binding posts 4 and 70.

5. .When the similar contacts in the door switch 61 are together it connects two conductors 91 between the binding posts 1 and 2. The conductors 90 are in series withthe opening solenoid 6 and the conductors. 91 75 in series with the closing solenoid 7. Conseque'ntly. itwill be obvious, without further describing the mechanism, that the opening solenoid is dead when. both doors are fully open, and that the closing solenoid is dead 1 when both doors are fully closed.

In order to guerd'ag'ainst any chance of getting the parts into such condition 'that the doors can be started in the wrong direction, and especially to provide means 35 whereby when one solenoid ism operation or excited, the other is positively rendered dead bythat condition, two other pairs of conductors 9292 and" 93-93 are provided'. Theconductors 92 and 92 are in 0 series with the opening solenoid 6 and with tality of the pin 97 so as to keep the con- 190 tacts 94 and 95 in engagement with each other, but when the plunger 9 starts to-ris, the springs 98 and 96 are automatically allowed to rise and the contacts 94 and 95 separate so thatthe solenoid 6 is disc nr nected from the ower by the separation of these contacts. he solenoid 7 is controlled in the same way by the contacts 99 and 100, v

and the plun er 8 of the-solenoid 6, the connections 01 and 93 need not be described in detail, as they correspond in all respects with'the-oi'rcuit just described. The contact 95 is connected with the binding post 4'to which one wire 90 is also connected in series.

series, sogthat the door switchesare' in series with their respective cut-outs 94 95 and In view of the fact that the depression of the treadle 4:9 or the depression of eithcr as the case may be, is swung to the right at, one of the push buttons 37 or 38 for the its outer end and its jinner'end is swung to the left against the lever 77. The operation of either one of these lovers will not result in the. operation of the plunger 63 for the reasons described-in. connection with the other-case, but the operation of both of them, either simultaneously or one after purpose of operating the doors is ordinarily only momentary, means isp rovided whereby 135 the closing or opening solenoid, as the case may be, will continue to be -supplied with current after the treadle or push button rovided over 95 which through the wires 93 The con- 116 tact 100 is connected with the'binding post v2, with which one wire 91 is. connected in connected with the terminal 58 and the bind ing post with the terminal 56. Furthermore, two levers l-are connected with the two levers 10 so as to be raised with them, and provided with carbon block terrmnals 102 which are adapted to e go the terminuls 56 and 58, res tive y, when these arms are raised by t e o' ration of their respective levers 10. Bot of these arms 101 are connected b a wire 103, with the binding post 3 and t us with one side of the main circuit y Assuming that the opening Solenoid 6 has juat'operated and the push button or treadle switch has opened its contact so that cur-' rent is no longer supplied therethrough to the solenoid 6, the current will still flow to it through these elements in order, 53, 3, 54, 103, 101 at the right, 102, 56, 55 5, 90. Although the operation of the device is thought to be clear from the above description of the respective parts, yet I shall procoed to describe certain features of it in a difl'erent order. Let it be assumed that the doors are closed together, as shown in the drawings, and that an automobile passes over the treadle 40. The depression of this 92, contact 95 and contact 94.

i the treadle makes the contact MB and setsv up a current from the plus side of the line th'ro h the fuse 53, binding post 3, wire 50, contacts 48 and 46 to either one of the door switches 00 or 61 which happens to be closed. As has previously beenstated, only one of these can be closed at a time when the doors are in their normalccnditicn, en-

tirely closed or entirely open.

If the doors are fully closed, as indicated in the drawings, the door switch 61 will be open but the switch will be closed and the circuit can be completed through it to the Win90 from the bindi post 3. Incidentally, the binding post 5 and t e terminal 56 will be connected through the treadle with the plus side of the line, but this will have no present eflech. The current, however, will pam through the-wire 90, binding ost 4, wire ow this results in bringing the opening solenoid 6 into the circuit which is completejrom its other end directly to the fuse 53 and minus side of the main circuit. The immediate effect of the excitation of this solenoid is to start plunger 8 to rise. This pulls u on one of t e levers 10 and the piston rod 24 and admits water from the pressure side of the systemic the pipe 26. This water will flow in behind the two pistons 29 and 30 and push them in opposite directions so as to start the doors to open. Another result of the raising of the plunger is to bring the contact 102 at the right into engagement with the contact 56 and this forms a nut circuit around the contact LG-48, which immediately opens ordinarily. This continues to supply current to the solenoid 6.

In case the opening push-button 87 had been pressed instead of the tteadlwthe result would have been the name, because the current would have been brought from the left-hand fuae 53, binding poet 8, wire 5L through the push-button 7 to the wire 55, door switch 60, wire 90, contacts 94 and 95 to the solenoid 6 and bad: to the other fum 53 and the minus side of the line. All the other effects would have been the mine. From this it will be seen that in caaelthe doors are closed, as shown in the dmwinga, the closing of the button contact 88 cannot cause any trouble because the other solenoid 7 is cut out by the open door switch 61.' Furthermole, the manual raising of either one of the plungers 8 or 9 cannot cause any trouble, because in either case the contacts 90-100 or 9495 will be automatically opened and if the contacts 56 and 102 or 58 and 102 are enga the wrong solenoid cannot be opera because itis cut out in the manner 'ust described and is also cutout by one o the door switches, if the doors are either fully open or full closed, and if for exam le, both of the.p ungers B-and 9 are raise to make these contacts, the doors will start toopen or close in accordance with their position when lho'circuit is completed.

Although ,I have illustrated and described only a single embodiment of the invention and shown it as applied to a hydraulic system, electrically controlled, and shown it as applied to a double door, I am aware of the fact that the invention is not limited to these or to the other features shown in the drawings, but that modifications can be made means whereby if one door'opens 01'' clones before the other said first-mentioned means cannot be opemted to change the direction of motionof either piston untilthe second door comes to its fully open or closed position. 1

2. The combination with a door and 0. cylinder and piston for operating i tricnl connections for controlling t e operation of the piston comprisinga switch, yielding means for normally holding the switch closed, a lever independent of the door connected with the switch foropeni it, and means on the door for operating so id lever to tend to open the switch when the door comes to its open position.

of elec- 3. The combination with a door and a cyli inder and piston for operating it, of electrical connections for controlling the opera.

' doors are both in one of their extreme positions, and means connected with said'door switch whereby when it is closed thecylinders can be connected with asource' of fluid-pressure for operating the doors from said extreme position,

115." The combination with two doors and means for operating them of a switchjor controlling the o ening oi the doors, a switch for controlling t e closing ofthe doors, and

means whereby the opening switch is open ated to he opened only when both doors are fully open, and the closing switch is operated to be opened only when both doors are fully closed.

6. In a combination with a pair oil-doors, of two :cylinders and two pistons connected with q; "saidfldoors for operating them, ,me'ans for contrblling the operation of said pistons and cylinders, said means comprising two. c rcults, each having a, door switch in series therein, means connected w1th said doors for operating sai tloor switches to open one of them only when both doors are fully open or fully clbscd, and connections in with the respective-door switches whereby said pistons and cylindcrs are connected with a source of fluid pressure. the connections being controlled bysaid door switches.

- 7:1The combination with a pair of.doo'rs, of a piston and cylinder for each door for operating the same, an opening door switch,

' means operated by the two doors for positirely opening said door switch only when thetwo doors are both entirely open, and

means connected with said door swit? whereby when it is closed the cyhnders c n be connected with a sonrceof finid pressure for the openin'gof the two doors.

. 8; The combination with a pair of doors, ojfn piston and cylinder for each door for operating the some, a closing door switch,

'means operated by the two doors for posi tively opening said door switch only when the twodoo'rs are both entirely closed, and i ct'ed with said door switch ft is closed the cylinders can door operating mechanism, the

9.- In a device'of the character de cribed, the combination of two doors mounted to move in alinement with each other,-two pistons and cylinders connected with said doors for simultaneously opening themor simnh taiieously closing them, means for controlling the operation of said cylinders comprising two d'oor switches each constructed and arranged'toprevent the operation of the pistons in one direction when open, means for opening one of said door switches when both the doors are fully open, and

means for opening the other when both doors are fully closed.

10. In a device of the character described,

the combination of two doors mounted to move in allnement with each other, two pistons and cylinders connected withsaid doors for simultaneously opening them or. simult'aneonsly closing them, means for controllmg the operation of said pistons comprising two door switches each constructed and arranged ',to prevent the operation of the pistons in one direption when open, means for opening one of Said door switches when both the doors .are fully open, and means for opening th'e other when both doors are fully closed, one of thrtwo last named 'means comprising a system of levers c6- operating with a door switch and in positicn to be operated by said doors when they move to limiting position.

11. In a device of the character described, the combination with a pair of doors arranged to operate in alinement and adapted to move toward each other for closing and away 'from each other for opening, hy-

draulic means for operating said doors to close or open, electrical means for controlling the hydraulic means, said electrical mcanscomprising an opening door switch and a closing door switch, and means whereby when the opening door switch is open the hydraulic means cannot be operated to open the doo'rs and when the closing door switch is'open the hydraulic means cannot be operaded to close the doors.

12. In :1 device of thecharacter described, the combination with a pair of doors arranged to operate in alinement and adapted to move toward each other for closing and away from each other for opening, hy-

dranlic means for operating said doors to close or open, electrlca'l means for controlling the hydraulic means, said electricalisopen thehydraulic means cannot be operated to close the 'dogrs,

said our t i n r foropr itch lever about a movable fulcrum in one di rection tvhen that door is in its limiting p0- ,sition,.;and means operated by: the other door for turning the other end of said lever when the other door is in its l'nniting position, whereby said lever will operate the door switch for opening it and render one of the above mentioned means inoperative.

13. The combination of I). plunger which when movedto a certain position is adapted to break a contact, a lever having a movable pivot arranged in contact with the plunger, whereby when pressure is exerted on one end of the lever, the lever will swing about the end of the plunger as a pivot and whereby if the pressure is retained on that end of the lever and the other end of the lever pushed in thesaine di tion the plunger will be forced in to b its contact, an

.. reaches 0. like limiting position, and means controlled by the door switch for operating the doors.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand. SYLVANUS B. ROY,

auxiliary lever for operating one end of 20 

